Linseed-tea and Linseed
poultices are among the most innocent of domestic remedies; but occasionally Lin. us. has produced effects of the most violent kind. In H. W., xx. 316 I quoted the case of a woman in whom the
application of a linseed poultice to an ulcer over the right shin-bone produced an attack of
asthma which nearly proved fatal. It was not the first time this had happened to her, and
she protested, but in vain, against the doctor's order. If a linseed poultice even came near
her she felt constriction of the chest. The doctor who ordered the poultice, and reported
the case, was speedily summoned to witness the worse attack of asthma he had ever seen. The
patient was livid and struggling for breath. When the poultice was removed the symptoms
gradually subsided. A crop of herpes appeared where the poultice had been, and an eruption
of urticaria over back, chest, and arms. The dust had no
effect in this case; but Dr. A. G. Towner related his own experience with it in the Era (quoted H. W., xxvii.
513). When in New York State he could handle Linseed in all forms freely, but after removing
to Illinois it affected him most powerfully. Once he rubbed his eye whilst preparing a
poultice: intense conjunctivitis came on at once, chemosis, and in an hour the eye was
closed, and did not come right again for three days. The irritation passed along the
lachrymal duct, and the same burning and irritation took place in the nose, nearly driving
him wild. The swelling closed the nostrils, and he had to breathe through his mouth. The
irritation still spread, affecting the throat, which was covered with large white blisters,
and a desperate attack of bronchial asthma supervened, slightly relieved by large doses of Ipec. In two hours the skin became affected with an attack of
"hives" (urticaria): "I was one complete blotch from the crown of my head to
the end of my toes, a complete bodily eruption, smart, sting, burn." He had five of
these attacks. The steam of a poultice would cause coryza; the dust would occasion a
complete attack. One was caused by inadvertently eating a lozenge containing linseed. An
entirely different set of symptoms is recorded by Allen (Appendix),
in which a girl, aet. 19, drank a cupful of milk into which she had poured by mistake some
spoonfuls of linseed oil. Immediately she felt a fulness of stomach, and precordial
uneasiness. She vomited, as she thought, all she had drunk, and had copious stools. She soon
went to bed, where she was seized with spasms which were most peculiar. Head shaking
spasmodically in measured time; the eyes and prominent temporal muscles jerking rapidly.
Jaws clenched. Tongue paralysed and drawn down into throat. All the time the brain was quite
clear. A clyster of Asaftida gave temporary relief,
but the symptoms recurred for a time with renewed violence. On the third day she was quite
recovered; but her health was not good for some time. From these remarkable cases it will be
seen that intense irritation is the rule of Lin. us. Skin and air passages with their offshoots are involved
(asthma and skin eruptions are often found associated in natural disease) in certain cases;
the nerve centres mothers. It is plain from these experiences that the "soothing"
effects of Linseed-tea and Linseed poultices are really of a specific and homopathic
nature. A teaspoonful of unground Linseed, steeped in warm water for half an hour and then
taken, acts as a laxative.

Complained that her tongue was drawn
down into her throat.─Complete paralysis of tongue.─Could
not articulate a syllable.─Tip of the tongue turned upwards and
backwards so as to touch the velum palati.

9. Throat.─

Irritation continued (from eyes and
nose) down into throat.─Throat filled with large white blisters.

11. Stomach.─

Great weight in stomach and severe
colic.─Fulness in stomach and precordial uneasiness (almost immediately
after swallowing the oil), followed by convulsions.─Vomiting with
copious stools.

13. Stools.─

Vomiting and copious stools.

17. Respiratory Organs.─

A picture of an
aggravated case of bronchial asthma; it was with the most extreme effort that I could
breathe.─Livid, and struggles for breath; her friends thought she was
dying.

22. Upper Limbs.─

Upper limbs shaken by spasms,
but pliable and uncontracted.

24. Generalities.─

Almost immediately (after
swallowing the oil) felt a fulness at the stomach and a precordial uneasiness, went to bed,
where she was seized by spasms.─She lay on her back, head moved
rhythmically; jaws completely clenched, had to be prized open.─Did not
recover speech till evening.─Bruised feeling in elbows and knees
remained with prostration, and she was left with impaired health.─Livid
and struggling for breath.

25. Skin.─

A crop of herpes (where the poultice
was applied).─Urticaria.─One complete blotch from
crown to toes, smarting, stinging, burning.